Lateral bipolar transistor

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a lateral bipolar transistor and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: an extrinsic base region composed of semiconductor material; an emitter region on a first side of the extrinsic base region; a collector region on a second side of the extrinsic base region; and an extrinsic base contact wrapping around the semiconductor material of the extrinsic base region.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, moreparticularly, to a lateral bipolar transistor and methods ofmanufacture.

Bipolar transistors can be vertical transistors or lateral transistors.In a vertical bipolar transistor, carriers flow in a vertical direction.Since a collector region is formed in a position deep from a wafersurface, collector resistance increases, thus limiting the transistorperformance especially for high-speed operation. In addition, thetransistor requires a high-concentration buried layer, a collectorepitaxial layer, and a deep trench isolation, etc. Consequently, thenumber of process steps increases and thus does the costs. On the otherhand, the lateral bipolar transistor is simpler in structure than thevertical bipolar transistor. Also, in a lateral bipolar transistor, acollector electrode can be directly brought into contact with acollector region, which is advantageous for high-speed operation.

SUMMARY

In an aspect of the disclosure, a structure comprises: an extrinsic baseregion comprising semiconductor material; an emitter region on a firstside of the extrinsic base region; a collector region on a second sideof the extrinsic base region; and an extrinsic base contact wrappingaround the semiconductor material of the extrinsic base region.

In an aspect of the disclosure, a structure comprises: a raisedextrinsic base region comprising semiconductor material; a raisedemitter region comprising an epitaxial semiconductor material on a firstside of the extrinsic base region; a raised collector region comprisingthe epitaxial semiconductor material on a second side of the raisedextrinsic base region; a dual sidewall spacer surrounding thesemiconductor material of the raised extrinsic base region; and awraparound contact wrapping around the raised emitter region and theraised collector region and contacting an outer sidewall spacer of thedual sidewall spacer.

In an aspect of the disclosure, a method comprises: forming an extrinsicbase region comprising semiconductor material; forming an emitter regionon a first side of the extrinsic base region; forming a collector regionon a second side of the extrinsic base region; and forming an extrinsicbase contact wrapping around the semiconductor material of the extrinsicbase region.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is described in the detailed description whichfollows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way ofnon-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1 shows a substrate and respective fabrication processes inaccordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows sidewall spacers (e.g., dual sidewall spacers) on asidewall surface of an extrinsic base region, amongst other features,and respective fabrication processes.

FIG. 3 shows an emitter region and a collector region on opposing sidesof the extrinsic base region, amongst other features, and respectivefabrication processes.

FIG. 4 shows recessed shallow trench isolation structures and a recessedportion of the dual sidewall spacers, amongst other features, andrespective fabrication processes.

FIG. 5 shows a silicide and conductive material deposited within theextrinsic base region, the emitter region, and the collector region,amongst other features, and respective fabrication processes.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure of FIG. 5 , alongline “A” shown in the inset, amongst other features, and respectivefabrication processes.

FIG. 7 shows contacts to the conductive material in the extrinsic baseregion, the emitter region, the collector region, amongst otherfeatures, and respective fabrication processes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, moreparticularly, to a lateral bipolar transistor and methods ofmanufacture. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to alateral bipolar transistor with a low base resistance using a wraparoundcontact. Advantageously, the lateral bipolar transistor provides forhigh voltage RF device applications (e.g., low noise amplifiers andpower amplifiers), with a narrow base width (e.g., less than 20 nm). Thelateral bipolar transistor may be used for applications in themillimeter waveband, e.g., 28 Gigahertz and higher; although otherapplications are also contemplated herein.

In embodiments, the lateral bipolar transistor may be either an NPN orPNP which comprises a wraparound base contact over an extrinsic regionand shallow trench isolation structures. In further embodiments, thewraparound base contact may be over the emitter region and the collectorregion, and extends onto the shallow trench isolation structures. Inthis way, a contact may be provided for the extrinsic base region, theemitter region, and the collector region. Moreover, in embodiments, thelateral bipolar transistor comprises a narrow base width, e.g., lessthan 20 nm and preferably between 6 nm and 10 nm width, to meet Ftcriteria. The wraparound contact may also be provided in a planarenvironment, with a side contact over the emitter region and collectorregion to address current crowding and self-heating (emitter resistance(Re) and collector resistance (Rc).

The lateral bipolar transistor of the present disclosure can bemanufactured in a number of ways using a number of different tools. Ingeneral, though, the methodologies and tools are used to form structureswith dimensions in the micrometer and nanometer scale. Themethodologies, i.e., technologies, employed to manufacture the lateralbipolar transistor of the present disclosure have been adopted fromintegrated circuit (IC) technology. For example, the structures arebuilt on wafers and are realized in films of material patterned byphotolithographic processes on the top of a wafer. In particular, thefabrication of the lateral bipolar transistor uses three basic buildingblocks: (i) deposition of thin films of material on a substrate, (ii)applying a patterned mask on top of the films by photolithographicimaging, and (iii) etching the films selectively to the mask. Inaddition, precleaning processes may be used to clean etched surfaces ofany contaminants, as is known in the art. Moreover, when necessary,rapid thermal anneal processes may be used to drive-in dopants ormaterial layers as is known in the art.

FIG. 1 shows a substrate and respective fabrication processes. Inparticular, the structure 10 of FIG. 1 includes a semiconductorsubstrate 12 which may be a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.More specifically, the substrate 12 includes a semiconductor handlewafer 12 a, an insulator layer 12 b and a semiconductor layer 12 c onthe insulator layer 12 b. In the SOI implementation, the semiconductorhandle wafer 12 a provides mechanical support to the insulator layer 12b and the semiconductor layer 12 c. The semiconductor handle wafer 12 aand the semiconductor layer 12 c may be composed of any suitablesemiconductor material including, but not limited to, Si, SiGe, SiGeC,SiC, GaAs, InAs, InP, and other III/V or II/VI compound semiconductors.Moreover, the semiconductor handle wafer 12 a may be a p-substrate andthe semiconductor layer 12 c may thinned to about 10 nm, for example. Infurther embodiments, the semiconductor handle wafer 12 a may includehigh resistivity wells as is known in the art.

The insulator layer 12 b may include a dielectric material such assilicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, boron nitride or acombination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the insulator layer 12 bmay be a buried oxide layer (BOX). The insulator layer 12 b may beformed by a deposition process, such as CVD, PECVD or physical vapordeposition (PVD). In another embodiment, the insulator layer 12 b may beformed using a thermal growth process, such as thermal oxidation, toconvert a surface portion of the semiconductor handle wafer 12 a to anoxide material. In yet another embodiment, the insulator layer 12 b maybe formed by implanting oxygen atoms into a bulk semiconductor substrateand thereafter annealing the structure.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , a semiconductor material 14 may be formed onthe semiconductor layer 12 c. In embodiments, the semiconductor material14 may be SiGe material. In more specific embodiments, the semiconductormaterial 14 may be SiGe doped with C. The semiconductor material 14 maybe epitaxially grown on the semiconductor layer 12 c, with in-situcarbon doping. The semiconductor material 14 may be 2 nm in depth;although other dimensions are contemplated herein depending on thedesired device performance.

An additional semiconductor material 16 may be formed on thesemiconductor material 14. The additional semiconductor material 16 maybe a P+Si material, which is epitaxially grown on the semiconductormaterial 14. The p-type doping may be boron, as an example. Theadditional semiconductor material 16 may have a depth of about 6 nm;although other dimensions are contemplated herein depending on thedesired device performance.

FIG. 2 shows a patterning of the semiconductor material 16 into anextrinsic base region 15 (with the semiconductor material 14 acting asan intrinsic base region). The patterning of the semiconductor material16 may be conventional lithography and etching processes known to thoseof skill in the art. For example, a resist formed over the semiconductormaterial 16 is exposed to energy (light) to form a pattern (opening). Anetching process with a selective chemistry, e.g., reactive ion etching(RIE), will be used to form a pattern, e.g., extrinsic base region 15comprising the semiconductor material 16. Following the etching process,the resist may be removed by a conventional oxygen ashing process orother known stripants. The patterning of the extrinsic base region 15may increase the surface area of the semiconductor material 16 and sidecontact to increase heat dissipation, e.g., take away heat.

FIG. 2 shows sidewall spacers 18, 20 (e.g., dual sidewall spacers)formed on a sidewall surface of the extrinsic base region 15, e.g.,patterned semiconductor material 16. In embodiments, the sidewallspacers 18, 20 comprise low-k insulator materials with different etchselectivity, with the inner sidewall spacer 18 having a same etchselectivity as a subsequently formed shallow trench isolation structure.For example, the sidewall spacer 18 may comprise an oxide material andthe outer sidewall spacer 20 may comprise a nitride material. Thesidewalls spacers 18, 20 may be formed by a conventional depositionprocess, e.g., CVD, followed by anisotropic etching processes to removeany material from horizontal surfaces of the structure.

FIG. 3 shows an emitter region 17 and a collector region 19 on opposingsides of the extrinsic base region 15. In embodiments, the emitterregion 17 and the collector region 19 may be formed by an emitter andcollector etching process which opens a trench into the semiconductormaterial 14 and semiconductor layer 12 c, followed by an epitaxialgrowth process. In embodiments, the emitter and collector etchingprocess may be a conventional lithography process and etching process asalready described herein such that no further explanation is requiredfor a complete understanding of the present disclosure. In embodiments,the etching process forms a trench that extends under the outer sidewallspacer 20.

Following the etching process, a semiconductor material 22 may beepitaxially grown in the trench to form a collector region 19 and anemitter region 17 that wraps around the extrinsic base region 15. Inembodiments, the semiconductor material 22 may be epitaxially grown Simaterial which extends underneath the outer sidewall spacer 20. Infurther embodiments, the epitaxial Si material may be N+ doped material,e.g., using arsenic or phosphorous. The N+ doping may occur in-situduring the epitaxial growth process. This configuration may lower theresistance of both the emitter region 17 (e.g., lower Re) and thecollector region 19 (e.g., lower Rc), while also reducing heat.

As an alternative embodiment, the emitter region 17 and the collectorregion 19 may be formed by conventional ion implantation processes knownto those of skill in the art. For example, an N-well implant region 22may be formed using n-type dopants implanted within the semiconductorlayer 12 c and semiconductor material 14. The n-type dopants may be,e.g., Arsenic (As), Phosphorus (P) and Sb, among other suitableexamples. In embodiments, a patterned implantation mask may be used todefine selected areas exposed for the implantations. The implantationmask may include a layer of a light-sensitive material, such as anorganic photoresist, applied by a spin coating process, pre-baked,exposed to light projected through a photomask, baked after exposure,and developed with a chemical developer. The implantation mask has athickness and stopping power sufficient to block masked areas, e.g.,extrinsic base region 15, against receiving a dose of the implantedions.

FIG. 4 shows shallow trench isolation structures 24 formed within thesemiconductor layer 12 c and semiconductor material 14. In embodiments,the shallow trench isolation structures 24 may be used to isolate thelateral bipolar transistor from other devices, as an example. Theshallow trench isolation structures 24 can be formed by conventionallithography, etching and deposition methods known to those of skill inthe art. For example, a resist formed over the semiconductor material 14is exposed to energy (light) to form a pattern (opening). An etchingprocess with a selective chemistry, e.g., RIE, will be used to form oneor more trenches in the semiconductor layer 12 c and semiconductormaterial 14 through the openings of the resist. Following the resistremoval by a conventional oxygen ashing process or other knownstripants, insulator material (e.g., SiO₂) can be deposited within thetrenches by any conventional deposition process, e.g., chemical vapordeposition (CVD) processes. Any residual insulator material on thesurface of the semiconductor material 14 may be removed by conventionalchemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes.

Still referring to FIG. 4 , the shallow trench isolation structures 24and the sidewalls spacer 18 may both be recessed using a conventionaltimed wet etching process of, e.g., oxide material. In this way, atrench or recessed portion 26 may be formed between the sidewall spacer20 and the semiconductor material 16, e.g., extrinsic base region 15,which effectively increases a contact surface area of the semiconductormaterial 16. Also, a recessed portion 28 may be formed over the shallowtrench isolation structures 24 to effectively increase a contact surfacearea of the semiconductor material 22 of the emitter region 17 and thecollector region 19. As should be understood by those of skill in theart, the increase in surface area will minimize resistance of theregions 15, 17, 19. In addition, the recessed portion 26 willeffectively form a raised emitter region and a raised collector region;although such can also be accomplished with an overgrowth of thesemiconductor material 22, in addition to or without the recessformation.

In FIG. 5 , a conductive material 30 is deposited within the extrinsicbase region 15, the emitter region 17 and the collector region 19. Priorto the deposition of the conductive material, a silicide 29 (e.g., NiSi)may be formed on the exposed semiconductor material 16 of the extrinsicbase region 15 (including the exposed sidewalls of the semiconductormaterial 16 within the recessed portion 26) and the N+ semiconductormaterial 22 of the emitter region 17 and the collector region 19 (e.g.,exposed top and side surfaces).

As should be understood by those of skill in the art, the silicideprocess begins with deposition of a thin transition metal layer, e.g.,nickel, cobalt or titanium, over the semiconductor materials 16, 22.After deposition of the material, the structure is heated allowing thetransition metal to react with exposed semiconductor material (e.g.,source, drain, gate contact region) forming a low-resistance transitionmetal silicide, e.g., TiSi. In this way, the silicide 29 will wraparound the extrinsic base region 15, the emitter region 17 and thecollector region 19. Following the reaction, any remaining transitionmetal is removed by chemical etching, leaving silicide contacts 29.

The conductive material 30 may be deposited on the silicide 29 withinthe trench 26 and over the semiconductor material 18. More specifically,in embodiments, the conductive material 30 may be within the upperrecessed portion 28 directly contacting sidewalls of the semiconductormaterial 16 of the extrinsic base region 15 and an inner surface of theouter sidewall spacer 20, in addition to a top surface of thesemiconductor material 16 of the extrinsic base region 15. In this way,the conductive material 30 may be wrapped around an increased surfacearea of the extrinsic base region 15, e.g., exposed top and sidesurfaces of the semiconductor material 16.

Similarly, the conductive material 30 may be deposited within therecessed portion 28 and over an increased surface area of the N+semiconductor material 22 of the emitter region 17 and the collectorregion 19, e.g., exposed top surface and outer side surface of thesemiconductor material 22. In embodiments, the conductive material 30directly contacts the outer sidewall spacer 20 of the extrinsic baseregion 15. In this way, the conductive material 30 may be wrapped aroundthe exposed the semiconductor material 22 of the emitter region 17 andthe collector region 19, in addition to be around the extrinsic baseregion 15, e.g., semiconductor material 16, which is separated by theouter sidewall spacer 20. In embodiments, the conductive material 30 maybe tungsten, as an example.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure of FIG. 5 , alongline “A” shown in the inset of FIG. 6 . As shown in this cross-sectionalview, the conductive material 30 wraps around the extrinsic base region15. In contrast, the conductive material is not provided on the sides ofthe extrinsic base region within the recessed portions 26 of the shallowtrench isolation structures. This is due to the fact that the crosssection of FIG. 6 is not taken along the emitter region 17 or collectorregion 19. It is further shown that the extrinsic base region 15 may be“H” shaped, although other configurations are contemplated herein.

Referring to FIG. 7 , contacts 32 are provided to the conductivematerial 30 in the extrinsic base region 15, the emitter region 17, thecollector region 19. Prior to forming the contacts 32. The contacts 32may be tungsten or aluminum formed by conventional lithography, etchingand deposition processes. For example, an interlevel dielectric materialor stack of materials 34 may be deposited over the structure, followedby via formation to expose the underlying conductive material 30 in eachof the regions 15, 17, 19. The vias may be formed conventionallithography and etching processes. A conductive material, e.g., tungstenor aluminum, may be deposited within the vias to form the contacts 32.Any residual material on the interlevel dielectric material 34 may beremoved by a CMP process.

The transistor can be utilized in system on chip (SoC) technology. TheSoC is an integrated circuit (also known as a “chip”) that integratesall components of an electronic system on a single chip or substrate. Asthe components are integrated on a single substrate, SoCs consume muchless power and take up much less area than multichip designs withequivalent functionality. Because of this, SoCs are becoming thedominant force in the mobile computing (such as in Smartphones) and edgecomputing markets. SoC is also used in embedded systems and the Internetof Things.

The method(s) as described above is used in the fabrication ofintegrated circuit chips. The resulting integrated circuit chips can bedistributed by the fabricator in raw wafer form (that is, as a singlewafer that has multiple unpackaged chips), as a bare die, or in apackaged form. In the latter case the chip is mounted in a single chippackage (such as a plastic carrier, with leads that are affixed to amotherboard or other higher level carrier) or in a multichip package(such as a ceramic carrier that has either or both surfaceinterconnections or buried interconnections). In any case the chip isthen integrated with other chips, discrete circuit elements, and/orother signal processing devices as part of either (a) an intermediateproduct, such as a motherboard, or (b) an end product. The end productcan be any product that includes integrated circuit chips, ranging fromtoys and other low-end applications to advanced computer products havinga display, a keyboard or other input device, and a central processor.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present disclosurehave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

What is claimed:
 1. A structure comprising: an extrinsic base regioncomprising semiconductor material; an emitter region on a first side ofthe extrinsic base region; a collector region on a second side of theextrinsic base region; and an extrinsic base contact wrapping around thesemiconductor material of the extrinsic base region; and a sidewallspacer surrounding the extrinsic base region, wherein the sidewallspacer comprises an upper recessed portion.
 2. The structure of claim 1,wherein the extrinsic base contact surrounds side surfaces and a topsurface of the semiconductor material of the extrinsic base region. 3.The structure of claim 2, wherein the extrinsic base contact comprises asilicide material and a conductive material.
 4. The structure of claim3, wherein the silicide material comprises NiSi and the conductivematerial comprises tungsten.
 5. The structure of claim 3, wherein thesidewall spacer comprises a dual sidewall spacer surrounding theextrinsic base region, wherein an inner sidewall spacer of the dualsidewall spacer comprises the upper recessed portion.
 6. The structureof claim 5, wherein the extrinsic base contact is within the upperrecessed portion directly contacting sidewalls of the semiconductormaterial of the extrinsic base region and an inner surface of an outersidewall spacer of the dual sidewall spacer.
 7. The structure of claim2, wherein the emitter region comprises a raised emitter region and thecollector region comprises a raised collector region, each of whichcomprise an epitaxial semiconductor material.
 8. The structure of claim7, further comprising a dual sidewall spacer surrounding the extrinsicbase region, the raised emitter region and the raised collector regionbeing under an outer sidewall spacer of the dual sidewall spacer andadjacent to recessed shallow trench isolation structures.
 9. Thestructure of claim 8, further comprising an emitter contact and acollector contact on the epitaxial semiconductor material of the raisedemitter region and the raised collector region, respectively.
 10. Thestructure of claim 9, wherein the emitter contact and the collectorcontact wrap around the epitaxial semiconductor material of the raisedemitter region and the raised collector region, respectively.
 11. Thestructure of claim 10, wherein the emitter contact and the collectorcontact wrap around the extrinsic base region and contact the outersidewall spacer.
 12. The structure of claim 8, wherein the emittercontact and the collector contact are over the recessed shallow trenchisolation structures.
 13. A structure comprising: a raised extrinsicbase region comprising semiconductor material; a raised emitter regioncomprising an epitaxial semiconductor material on a first side of theextrinsic base region; a raised collector region comprising theepitaxial semiconductor material on a second side of the raisedextrinsic base region; a dual sidewall spacer surrounding thesemiconductor material of the raised extrinsic base region, wherein thedual sidewall spacer comprises a recessed inner sidewall spacer and anouter sidewall spacer, an extrinsic base contact being over the recessedinner sidewall spacer; and a wraparound contact wrapping around theraised emitter region and the raised collector region and contacting theouter sidewall spacer of the dual sidewall spacer.
 14. The structure ofclaim 13, wherein the wraparound contact surrounds and directly contactsan outer side surface and a top surface of the epitaxial semiconductormaterial of the raised collector region and the raised emitter region.15. The structure of claim 14, further comprising recessed shallowtrench isolation structures adjacent to the raised collector region andthe raised emitter region, and the wraparound contact being over therecessed shallow trench isolation structures.
 16. The structure of claim13, wherein the extrinsic base contact wraps around the semiconductormaterial of the raised extrinsic base region.
 17. The structure of claim13, wherein the extrinsic base contact contacts an inner wall of theouter sidewall spacer and sidewalls of the semiconductor material of theraised extrinsic base region.
 18. The structure of claim 17, wherein theupper recessed portion is an inner portion facing an outer wall of theextrinsic base region and which provides a space for the extrinsic basecontact to be in contact with the extrinsic base region on the outerwall of the extrinsic base region.
 19. The structure of claim 17,wherein the wraparound contact and the extrinsic base contact comprisesilicide and conductive material.
 20. A method comprising: forming anextrinsic base region comprising semiconductor material; forming anemitter region on a first side of the extrinsic base region; forming acollector region on a second side of the extrinsic base region; formingan extrinsic base contact wrapping around the semiconductor material ofthe extrinsic base region; and forming a dual sidewall spacersurrounding the extrinsic base region, wherein an inner sidewall spacerof the dual sidewall spacer comprises an upper recessed portion.